The Great Falls municipal election will be on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, and there are four candidates vying for two seats on the City Commission: Pete Anderson, Joe McKenney, Matt Pipinich, and Casey Schreiner.
Here are extended interviews with them:
Pete Anderson
Joe McKenney
Matt Pipinich
Casey Schreiner
Cory Reeves and Jasmine Taylor are running for mayor; we will feature extended interviews with them on Friday.
The city’s municipal election will be conducted by mail on November 4, 2025. Ballots were mailed to registered voters on October 20.
Residents who are not yet registered can do so in person at the Cascade County Elections Office until noon on November 3, or at Montana Expo Park on Election Day.
Great Falls voters will also decide whether to limit the types of fireworks that can be sold and used within city limits.
The ballot question asks if the city should allow only ground-based or novelty items such as sparklers, fountains, and snap caps, while banning fireworks that leave the ground or explode, including rockets, shells, and Roman candles.
If voters approve the measure, the changes would apply only to stands operating within city limits. Fireworks stands located in county areas, even if they’re within the city’s boundary lines, would not be affected.
Great Falls is one of the few larger Montana cities that still allows residents to use fireworks. Cities like Helena, Bozeman, Missoula, and Billings already have bans in place.
The issue has been a topic of public discussion for years, often resurfacing around Independence Day. After a series of public meetings and debates this summer, city commissioners voted in July to put the proposed ban on the November 2025 ballot.
The decision followed weeks of public comment, with residents and business owners weighing in on both sides of the issue. Some argued the city needs to take action to reduce fire risk and protect public safety, while others said a ban would be ineffective and hurt small businesses that rely on holiday sales.
City officials say the ballot language may seem confusing, but it follows state election law, which only allows a “yes” or “no” vote.
Meredith Dawson, City Communications Specialist explains, “A ‘yes’ vote would mean that you agree with limiting the type of fireworks that can be sold or discharged in the city. A ‘no’ vote means you would want to keep things the way they are, not limiting the type of fireworks.”
